Edcouch-Elsa is 1-9 against Mercedes since October of 2014 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. After each having a week off, both will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 7:00 p.m. Edcouch-Elsa's defense has only allowed 14.6 points per game this season, so Mercedes' offense will have their work cut out for them.
Last Friday, Edcouch-Elsa came up short against Port Isabel and fell 28-21. The Yellowjackets have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Even though they lost, Edcouch-Elsa was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 220 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2023.
Edcouch-Elsa wouldn't let Port Isabel keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force five fumbles. Matthew Cano and Matthew Enriquez were the leaders of the group effort as each produced two apiece. Enriquez also set a new season high mark in total tackles with 13. Troy Barco was another major factor on D, making 18 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Mercedes scored the most points they've had all season last Friday, but it wasn't enough. They took a 56-40 bruising from Sharyland. Even though they lost, the Tigers' still made a splash on offense and bumped their average scoring up to 28.4 points per game (they're now ranked -1th in scoring overall).
Despite the defeat, Mercedes got top-tier performance from Robert Sanchez, who rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.9 yards per carry, and also caught a touchdown. Another player making a difference was Diego Bravo, who rushed for 115 yards on only 15 carries.
Edcouch-Elsa's loss dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Mercedes, the defeat snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 3-2 record.
Friday's match might be decided in the on the ground. Edcouch-Elsa has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 178.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mercedes struggles in that department as they've been averaging 290.8. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Edcouch-Elsa beat Mercedes 28-19 in their previous matchup back in October of 2023. Will Edcouch-Elsa repeat their success, or does Mercedes have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
